The present invention relates to an airbag apparatus installed in a vehicle such as an automobile. More specifically, the present invention relates to an airbag apparatus for preventing a passenger from colliding against a sidewall of a vehicle in an accident such as a side collision or roll-over.
There have been proposed various airbag apparatus for protecting a passenger from colliding into a sidewall of a vehicle such as a side window and door upon a vehicle accident such as a side collision or roll-over. For example, an airbag apparatus including a vehicle airbag stored along a side roof rail of an automobile has been proposed (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-328504).
Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-328504 has disclosed a technology for reliably inflating an airbag in a vehicle having two rows of seats. However, for a large vehicle having at least three rows of seats, it is necessary to improve the technology so that a sufficiently large airbag can be inflated quickly and reliably in a passenger-protection region between a sidewall of the vehicle and a passenger.
In view of the problems mentioned above, an object of the present invention is to provide an airbag apparatus for safely protecting a passenger upon a vehicle accident.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.